HIV Counseling & Testing Services
HIV Testing Services (HTS) were established in Zanzibar in 1988. This unit has the responsibility of coordinating the testing activities through three main approaches:
- Client Initiated Counselling and Testing (VCT)/Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT)
- Provider Initiated Testing and Counselling (PITC)
- Mobile HIV Testing and Counselling
The HTS have been established in 141 sites which are located in all 10 districts of Zanzibar. These sites include Government facilities, NGOs, FBOs as well as Private hospitals and clinics; among them, 26 sites provide VCT services alone, 79 provide PITC services alone and 49 provide both PITC and VCT services.
In strengthening HTC services the following support have been put in place and operationalized:
- Strengthen capacity of health care workers (HCWs) to provide quality HTT service
- Procure and provide all the necessary equipments, reagents, supplies and accompanying technical support
- Strengthen linkages of HTC services with other HIV related services through referral system
- To increase demand for the use of HTC services through IEC/BCC